CMM 2017-08-13
Minutes of Meeting for Worship for Business
Concord (NH) Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
Eighth Month 13th, 2017
Attending: 14
8.1 The meeting opened with worship.
8.2 Seventh Month Minutes: The clerk noted minutes were approved as business was conducted at the time and checked to see if the distributed minutes matched our memory of the meeting. No changes were suggested.
8.3 Ministry and Counsel Report on Clearness Committees for Membership: Faith Sillars and Heidi Babb are joyfully welcomed into membership.
8.4 Appalachian Mountain Teen Project Stewardship (AMTP): The Clerk reported on the AMTP’s planned organizational dissolution and plan to transfer their property to the Meeting. David Woolpert, Ruth Heath, and Sara Smith are appointed to a committee to look into the implications and make a recommendation to the Meeting regarding acceptance of their offer.
8.5 PSECC (Peace, Social, and Earthcare Concerns Committee) and White Supremacy Concern: The Committee reported that Jessica Ellis-Hopkins is now the Committee’s Clerk and reminded us of the history of the current concern regarding white supremacy. The question of whether to display a Black Lives Matter sign prompted more than a year of reflection. Now the Committee has looked into the spiritual promptings to which the Meeting is seeking a reply and presented a wide range of options as to how to proceed. Without making a specific recommendation the Committee shared the essence of their work.
There were many thoughts expressed in response. In light of the recent confrontations and deaths in Charlottesville, VA, the timing may be appropriate for a clear public statement from the Meeting and we have a newly approved system for the release of such a statement. If written there was a suggestion that it should include acknowledgement that we have benefited from the system of white supremacy and privilege that continues to exist in this nation.
Regarding the road sign question, if there is a feeling such a sign would put our property at risk we should realize that oppressed people wake up every day experiencing risk. A proposed sign was displayed that says: “Quaker Meeting Sunday 10 AM Everyone welcome” with three images below of a small “Black Lives Matter” image, a rainbow, and “No Human is Illegal.” There was favorable reaction to it. There is a clear sense that displaying a sign is not an end. There are problems with the limitations of the messages that can be displayed on any sign. We were reminded to not be stymied by a false requirement of perfection. The question of placing a sign and its design is referred to the PSECC Committee with a sense of urgency. The Meeting would like to see a statement drafted promptly. There followed a discussion of the points members would like to see included in the statement.
8.6 AFSC Donation: AFSC’s New Hampshire Program is seeking donations in advance of their fundraiser dinner. The Meeting has a large item in the budget to cover our support of AFSC and we will not make a further donation at this time. We will consider placing an advertisement in their program book at a later meeting.
8.7 Budget Committee Report: The Treasurer reported net income of $2,048 year to date and noted the PSECC is now over budget having provided support for the Climate Pilgrims. Regular quarterly donations will continue and the balance sheet will be presented at least quarterly.
8.8 The meeting closed with a brief period of silent worship.
Submitted by,
Acting Recording Clerk, Greg Heath
Presiding Co-Clerk, Richard Kleinschmidt
Public Statement in Response to the Tragedy in Charlottesville, Virginia
The horrific recent violence in Charlottesville, Virginia reminds us, as people of faith, to publicly explicitly reject white supremacy. These beliefs contradict our Quaker testimony that all are equal children of God. The threats and use of violence by white-supremacist movements to advance their abhorrent ideology is rejected by most people. Concord Friends Meeting (Quakers) unites in condemnation of these oppressive ideas and actions.
Quakers believe there is that of God in every one, even those who commit or prepare to commit acts of violence. White supremacist hatred reflects an unreasoning fear of others. Some may feel violent response to their violence is justified. However, as the civil rights movement clearly illustrated, hatred and violence have only one antidote: love. We struggle to learn effective, loving resistance.
Please join in reflecting on how we are complicit in a society that spawns such hatred and how we can counteract this hatred. This tragedy is related to long-time failures to recognize that there are benefits to many of us from deeply rooted systems that uphold white supremacy and cause immense harm to our brothers and sisters of color. It is linked to the lie that race is a biological fact (with white superiority) rather than an ever-reconstructed system of oppression. The groups actively manifesting this ideology are encouraged by the complicity of many who let them to go unchallenged. We will challenge and confront these failures in ourselves and others, working toward a world free from fear, injustice and oppression.
On behalf of Concord Friends Meeting,
| Concord Monthly Meeting Income & Expenses | Actuals 2017-06 through 2017-07 | Actuals 2016-06 through 2016-07 | 12-Month Budget | YTD Actuals over Budget | % Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Income | |||||
| Contributions | $3,061.00 | $24,746.00 | ($21,685.00) | 12.4% | |
| Interest Income | $0.46 | $220.00 | ($219.54) | 0.2% | |
| Rental Income | $185.00 | $800.00 | ($615.00) | 23.1% | |
| Miscellaneous Income | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Total Income | $3,246.46 | $25,766.00 | ($22,519.54) | 12.6% | |
| Expenses | |||||
| Program | |||||
| Budget Committee | $0.00 | $20.00 | ($20.00) | ||
| Hospitality | $2.99 | $180.00 | ($177.01) | 1.7% | |
| Library | $0.00 | $80.00 | ($80.00) | ||
| Ministry & Counsel | $0.00 | $175.00 | ($175.00) | ||
| Outreach | |||||
| Website Expenses | $0.00 | $240.00 | ($240.00) | ||
| Outreach - Other | $105.00 | $260.00 | ($155.00) | 40.4% | |
| Total Outreach | $105.00 | $500.00 | ($395.00) | 21.0% | |
| Peace, Social & Earthcare Concerns | $169.00 | $100.00 | ($100.00) | 169.0% | |
| Youth & Religious Education | $9.37 | $300.00 | ($290.63) | 3.1% | |
| Total Program | $286.36 | $1,355.00 | ($1,068.64) | 21.1% | |
| Property | |||||
| Building Maintenance | $106.12 | $600.00 | ($493.88) | 17.7% | |
| Debt Service | $0.00 | $3,806.00 | ($3,806.00) | ||
| Donation in Lieu of Taxes | $0.00 | $300.00 | ($300.00) | ||
| Electricity | $190.63 | $1,000.00 | ($809.37) | 19.1% | |
| Grounds | $0.00 | $100.00 | ($100.00) | ||
| Insurance | $133.25 | $1,700.00 | ($1,566.75) | 7.8% | |
| Replacement Reserve Expense | $451.00 | $5,411.00 | ($4,960.00) | 8.3% | |
| Snow Removal | $0.00 | $2,000.00 | ($2,000.00) | ||
| Supplies - Bldg. & Maintenance | $31.11 | $185.00 | ($153.89) | 16.8% | |
| Wood Pellets | $0.00 | $1,300.00 | ($1,300.00) | ||
| Total Property | $912.11 | $16,402.00 | ($15,489.89) | 5.6% | |
| Support | |||||
| AFSC | $0.00 | $1,457.00 | ($1,457.00) | ||
| Dover Quarterly Meeting | $0.00 | $10.00 | ($10.00) | ||
| FCNL | $0.00 | $131.00 | ($131.00) | ||
| Friends Camp | $0.00 | $270.00 | ($270.00) | ||
| FWCC | $0.00 | $57.00 | ($57.00) | ||
| Interfaith Council | $0.00 | $50.00 | ($50.00) | ||
| NEYM - Equalization Fund | $0.00 | $260.00 | ($260.00) | ||
| NEYM - General Fund | $0.00 | $5,516.00 | ($5,516.00) | ||
| NH Council of Churches | $0.00 | $50.00 | ($50.00) | ||
| Woolman Hill | $0.00 | $208.00 | ($208.00) | ||
| Total Support | $0.00 | $8,009.00 | ($8,009.00) | ||
| Total Expense | $1,198.47 | $25,766.00 | ($24,567.43) | 4.7% | |
| Net Income | $2,047.99 | $0.00 | ($2,047.99) |
Prepared by Greg Heath and Chris Haigh
